New York power grid operator says should be good to go until 2019

May 30 (Reuters) - New York's electric grid operator said onThursday the state should have enough power resources to meetcustomer needs until at least 2019, if demand grows as currentlyforecast.

In 2013, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO),the state's grid operator, said in its "Power Trends" report NewYork has over 41,000 megawatts (MW) of generation, transmissionand demand side resources.

That is more than enough power to meet projected demand andreserve margin requirements of nearly 39,000 MW, the NYISO said.

One megawatt can power about 1,000 homes.

The grid operator said growth in power demand in the statehas been dampened over the past couple years by the effects ofthe recession and energy efficiency programs.

Total usage in 2012 was 162,842 gigawatt hours (GWh), downfrom 163,330 GWh in 2011 and 163,505 GWh in 2010, the NYISOsaid.

Despite a mostly rosy forecast, the NYISO the future of thegiant Indian Point nuclear plant was one of the biggest risks tothe reliability of the state's grid.

Indian Point is located about 40 miles (64 kms) north of NewYork City on the Hudson River in Buchanan, New York. It suppliesabout a quarter of the power used in the city.

But the original 40-year operating licenses of the tworeactors at the plant expire in 2013 and 2015.

U.S. power company Entergy Corp, which owns theIndian Point, has applied with federal nuclear regulators torenew the licenses for another 20 years. But New York GovernorAndrew Cuomo and others oppose the renewal.

So long as the federal license renewal process is ongoing,Entergy can continue to operate the plant under the existinglicenses. Entergy has already said the renewal process willlikely continue beyond 2016.

To meet reliability requirements if Indian Point does shut,the NYISO said replacement resources have to be in place beforethe last reactor at the plant closes.

"Failure to do so would have serious reliabilityconsequences, including the possibility of rolling customerblackouts," the NYISO said.

In November 2012, the New York State Public ServiceCommission (PSC) asked New York City power company ConsolidatedEdison Inc and the state-owned New York Power Authority(NYPA) to develop contingency plans to have resources in placein 2016 in the event of Indian Point's closure.

The biggest power companies operating in New York includeunits of Con Edison, National Grid Plc, Iberdrola SA, Entergy, TransCanada Inc and NRG Energy Inc.